Babies & young toddlers learn a lot about the world from mouthing. Investigating things around them allows them to experience different sensory qualities such as texture & shape, including taste, in the centre of their tactile system. It is a strong sign of developing physical & cognitive skills, as grasping & bringing something to their mouth requires hand-eye coordination & motor skills. Our little ones really are on a constant quest for knowledge!
“The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge. He has the power to teach himself.” – Maria Montessori
There is also a strong theory that the benefits of your baby mouthing different textures include helping to prevent speech delays & picky eating. Research has shown that the muscle strength, body awareness & sensory input gained from putting objects in their mouth actually helps encourage speech development & eating solid foods of various textures.
Why not try offering something safe for your baby to mouth next time they seem interested; teethers with different textures, a kitchen whisk, or a damp flannel from the fridge can be a great place to start!
Does your baby keep putting their hand in your mouth too? There is thinking that this may be a way of connecting with you, a comforting mechanism, or a way of saying hello – even their way of making sure that you can’t turn away & pay attention to something else! There is a theory for nursing babies that they are trying to give you their germs so you can create antibodies for them.
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